Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Finding Aid for the Michael Wilson Papers, 1942-1977
52
No online items
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Description
Collection consists of materials related to the career of screenwriter Michael Wilson.
Includes correspondence, screenplays, treatments, research materials, clippings, legal
papers, outlines, and notes. General files contain correspondence and personal/career
related documents and documents relating toblacklist. Also includes materials for films
such as "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962), "A Place In The Sun" (1951), "Che!" (1969), "Planet
Of The Apes" (1968), and "Salt Of The Earth" (1953). Finding aid includes name index.
Background
Wilson was born in McAlester, OK, July 1, 1914; graduated from UC Berkeley, 1936, and
taught English and wrote short stories before going to Hollywood in 1940; early work
consisted of William Boyd westerns; joined the Marines in WWII; became a contract writer
with Liberty Film, 1945, working on such pictures as It's a wonderful life; named an
unfriendly witness by the House Un-American Activities Committee and blacklisted; worked
on Herbert Biberman's independent production, "Salt Of The Earth" (1954), then moved to
France and worked without receiving screen credit on various films including "The
Friendly Persuasion" (1956), "The Bridge On The River Kwai" (1957), and "Lawrence Of
Arabia" (1962); returned to the US, 1964, where he continued to write, including "The
Sandpiper" (1965), "Planet Of The Apes" (1968), and Che! (1969); recipient of numerous
awards including an Academy Award for "A Place In The Sun" (1951), and the Writers Guild
of America's Laurel Award (1975); died Apr. 9, 1978.
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Performing Arts Special Collections, UCLA. All
requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing
to the Arts Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Arts Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Advance notice required for access.